THE GIRL IN THE GROVE: A Story of Suspense

by David Severn ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 9, 1974

A thwarted romance between a scion of the Manor and a flirtatious servant, the role of a child courier, an undelivered letter, even Severn's emotional restraint and rather effulgent nature imagery generate faint but undeniable echoes of L.P. Hartley's Go Between. Only in this case the sex roles are reversed, and the erstwhile go-between returns as an uneasy ghost, eternally 13-year-old Laura. She is befriended by Paul, a rebellious adolescent and (so he believes) a descendant of the thwarted couple. And Jonquil, the real girl who loves Paul, comes to realize that she can only win him from Laura's hold by discovering her rival's guilty secret and winning forgiveness for her. Jonquil's persistent love, in spite of Paul's arrogant rejections, may estrange some readers from the start. But the deliberately paced unraveling of the mystery is compelling -- at least until some genealogical monkey business makes these twisted relationships turn out happier, nester, and yet more complicated than they have any right to be. The end is disappointingly ordinary, but Severn evokes the smell of musty lace and mildewed love letters with some conviction.

Pub Date: Oct. 9, 1974

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 266

Publisher: Harper & Row

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1974

Categories: FICTION